The discussions could mark a significant change in the US military posture in a region where Washington sharply expanded its permanent presence following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
About 50,000 US troops remain deployed across the Middle East alongside major military assets, including two aircraft carriers and more than a dozen guided-missile destroyers.
The US military has developed several possible options for restructuring its forces in the region as early as next year, according to two sources cited by CNN, although no formal force posture review has been ordered.
The discussions follow Iranian attacks that caused significant damage to US military and intelligence facilities across the region.
A CIA outpost in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was effectively destroyed, while US military installations in Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were also struck, according to CNN.
One US official acknowledged the vulnerability of the facilities, saying, “The vulnerabilities were always known, but the US never acted on it with urgency.”
The Pentagon is also considering shifting more of the regional defense burden to US partners while reducing troop levels in several Persian Gulf countries.
At the same time, US officials are examining measures to protect forces that remain in the region, including potentially moving some installations underground to reduce their exposure to Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The reported damage has also prompted consideration of whether some intelligence and special operations missions could be conducted without permanent regional bases.
Under one option, personnel and equipment could remain in the United States and be deployed to the Middle East only for specific missions before returning home.
Washington may also decide not to rebuild some facilities that were severely damaged or destroyed during the Iranian attacks because of the potentially high reconstruction costs.
Pentagon comptroller Jules “Jay” Hurst III said in April that decisions on repairing damaged facilities would depend partly on Washington’s future regional posture.
Despite the reported discussions about reducing the US footprint, American forces remain deployed across the region and the conflict with Iran continues.
Pentagon officials are expected to retain some major permanent bases in the Middle East, although reconstruction could depend on host countries contributing to costs that could reach billions of dollars.
The immediate impact of the Iranian strikes is particularly visible in Bahrain, the traditional home of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said last week that US Navy personnel would not return to Bahrain soon.
“We’re not getting back in there anytime soon,” Caudle said.